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Chargers, Cardinals think big heading into opener

By WTOP Staff

BOB BAUM
AP Sports Writer

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — A turnaround season under a new coach.

That was the story of the San Diego Chargers and Arizona Cardinals a year ago, and both squads begin this season believing they will be even better.

Only one of them will kick off the season with success because they meet in the second half of the NFL’s Monday night doubleheader.

“We can win it all,” Chargers safety Eric Weddle said. “We added some pieces we needed both offensively and defensively, got our guys back on special teams. We are a year better under the system. Nothing is impossible if everybody is doing the right thing and preparing the right way, playing together and playing fast.”

The Cardinals feel they are much better after a year under coach Bruce Arians’ system.

Comparing this year’s offense to the one that started last season, Arians said, “would be like taking an eighth grader and putting him in the first grade. “

That’s particularly true of quarterback Carson Palmer, in his 12th NFL season, second with Arizona.

“This is the most comfort I have had in a while going into a season,” he said, “and I think that’s one of the things that I am so excited about is being comfortable and not having a bunch of unknowns. I think this whole locker room feels that way.”

There was one big difference in the teams’ seasons last year: The Chargers went 9-7 and made the playoffs, the Cardinals were 10-6 and didn’t. Arizona fell victim to playing in the NFC West.

“We know we have the toughest division in football, and we love that,” eight-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald said. “We love the competition, and we like our odds against the guys in our division.”

Here are some things to know about Monday night’s matchup:

ON THE RUN: Both teams want to get their running game going to facilitate their big-play, play-action abilities.

“We do take our shots,” Palmer said. “A lot of them come out of our play-action game. Those aren’t there if you aren’t running the football.”

The Chargers have three strong running backs in Ryan Mathews, Danny Woodhead and newcomer Donald Brown.

Arizona, though, could be without dynamic running back Andre Ellington because of a foot injury. That would leave Jonathan Dwyer, Stepfan Taylor and Robert Hughes to carry the load.

DIFFERENT DEFENSE: The Cardinals will have a handful of new starters on a defense that ranked first against the run and sixth overall last season. The big question is up the middle. Inside linebackers Karlos Dansby and Daryl Washington are gone — Dansby to free agency, Washington to suspension. Defensive tackle Darnell Dockett went down in training camp with a season-ending knee injury.

Veteran Larry Foote and second-year pro Kevin Minter are the replacement linebackers. Frostee Rucker, who saw a lot of playing time last season, moves up to start at tackle.

NEW COACH, SAME SYSTEM: As offensive coordinator last year, Ken Whisenhunt got a lot of credit for quarterback Philip Rivers’ revival. Whisenhunt is now head coach at Tennessee, and Frank Reich moves up from quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator.

Don’t expect to see much difference.

“The system’s in place,” Chargers coach Mike McCoy said. “We have a system that’s going to survive the long haul.”

McCoy brought the offense with him from Denver, where he was coordinator before being hired in San Diego.

“Every coordinator has their tweaks and different things they like,” Rivers said, “play-calling styles and wrinkles we’ve added to the offense. But from a system standpoint, we didn’t change. We’re doing the same thing and trying to build on what we got started in Year 1.”

CARDINAL SPEED: Arians loves “fast little guys” and he has two of them now: Ted Ginn Jr. and John Brown. The 5-foot-11 Brown, out of little Pittsburg State (Kansas), was the sensation of training camp.

NO COMPARISON: The Chargers and Cardinals are playing for the second time in 12 days after they met in San Diego in the preseason finale. But neither team did anything to tip off the other as to what would be coming when the real thing arrived. Almost every starter sat that one out.

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AP Sports Writer Bernie Wilson in San Diego contributed to this story.

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Online:

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Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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